Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), led by Director Park Gi-tae, has launched a nationwide campaign calling for the restoration of the “Monument Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Korea-U.S. Diplomatic Relations,” which was removed from San Francisco’s Ferry Park.
The campaign seeks to raise awareness that the monument—an important symbol of Korea-U.S. friendship and a key diplomatic legacy—was taken down in 2018 and has since been left in storage at a warehouse in Oakland, California. VANK aims to build public consensus so that both the government and citizens can work together toward its restoration.
Official diplomatic relations between Korea and the United States began with the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation. In 1983, marking the 100th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the two countries erected commemorative monuments at Incheon’s Jayu Park and at Ferry Park in San Francisco to celebrate a century of friendship and cooperation. The monument symbolizes the historic moment when the Joseon Dynasty’s first modern diplomatic mission, the Bobingsa delegation, crossed the Pacific and arrived in San Francisco, opening a new chapter in Korea’s diplomatic history.
The monument also served as a symbolic space for first-generation Korean immigrants who settled in a foreign land, offering a place to reflect on their homeland’s history and reaffirm their identity. For decades, the local Korean community held commemorative events there, strengthening Korea-U.S. ties and community unity.
However, after it was removed in 2018 due to management issues, discussions about reinstalling the monument have made little progress. It remains stored in a warehouse in Oakland, California.
In response, the San Francisco & Bay Area Korea Center has proposed a funding plan to cover the estimated $400,000 restoration cost. The proposal calls for matching funds, with $200,000 raised voluntarily by the Korean American community and $200,000 supported by the National Assembly and the government. Recently, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the National Assembly’s Finance Committee visited San Francisco, expressed agreement on the need for reinstallation, and pledged cooperation at the parliamentary level, signaling that discussions are gaining momentum.
Through the campaign, VANK stressed that restoration efforts must go beyond discussion and be backed by institutional and financial support from the government to lead to concrete action. It also emphasized that the issue extends beyond the concerns of overseas Koreans and represents a national task of reaffirming Korea’s historical responsibility and diplomatic identity. VANK called on the governments of both countries, the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco, and the local Korean American community to cooperate actively in pursuing restoration.
Park Gi-tae, director of VANK, said, “Whenever peace statues or independence movement memorials are removed overseas, we express regret and anger and call for a government response. Yet not many citizens are aware that a symbol of Korea-U.S. friendship established by our own government has been left unattended for a long time. This raises the question of how we are upholding our nation’s history and promises.”
He added, “This is not just an issue for a particular overseas community, but a matter of South Korea honoring the diplomatic commitments it has made. Only when the government and citizens remember this issue and take action together will the meaning of 100 years of Korea-U.S. friendship be fully realized.”
Kim Han-il, president of the San Francisco & Bay Area Korea Center, said, “San Francisco is the city where Joseon’s first diplomatic delegation arrived and the starting point of Korean American history in the United States. The monument commemorating the 100th anniversary of Korea-U.S. diplomatic relations that once stood here symbolized the roots and identity of our community.”
He added, “Restoring the monument is not simply about rebuilding a structure. It is about reclaiming the history and pride of our community. We hope that both the Korean government and the public will recognize this as a shared historical issue and join efforts together.”
Kwon So-young, a researcher at VANK, said, “The 7.5 million overseas Koreans around the world are not on the periphery of Korean diplomacy. They represent Korea in their respective places and can directly voice opinions on policy direction. We hope this campaign will serve as an opportunity for overseas Koreans and those in Korea to revisit the history of Korea-U.S. friendship and reaffirm its meaning.”
Koo Seung-hyun, another VANK researcher, said, “The fact that a monument built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Korea-U.S. diplomatic relations has been left unattended for so long prompts us to reflect on how our historical promises are being upheld in reality. We hope this campaign will become a process in which the government, citizens, and overseas Koreans share and put into practice a common historical memory.”